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Dear friends,
It has not escaped my notice that we recently marked the three-year anniversary of the onset of the COVID-19 virus, and all that went with it. And while—in some ways—that moment seems like it was a long time ago, we still are feeling the effects of the pandemic, the corresponding lockdown, and all the other new restrictions that came with it. All of those limitations and constraints stand in stark contrast to the annual reminders just outside our windows that spring is here, and the earth is reborn. Flowers are blooming, trees are budding, and active birdsong is much more noticeable. And so it is, in that season of growth and rebirth, that we celebrate the promises of God made real through the resurrection of Jesus. Promises that tell us that there is always opportunity for rebirth and renewal. Promises that assure us that this life is not all that there is. Promises that challenge us to turn traditional thinking on its head—that in God’s coming kingdom, everything will be turned upside down. As I sit in my study writing this message, the sun is shining, the sky is a brilliant blue, and the birds are singing in the trees. It may rain later (it probably will!), but the signs of life are all around. The warmth of the sun brings me both joy and assurance—joy like I feel on Easter morning, and the assurance that miracle we celebrate on Easter didn’t just happen once, many years ago in a far-away place, but that it happens here, and now, and everywhere. COVID was a dark time for many of us…perhaps even a season of our lives that we thought would never end. And even though there was tragedy associated with it, God calls us into a new reality—hopefully one filled with wholeness, well-being, and peace. Everyday we have is a miracle…a miracle we can trace back to the biggest miracle of them all in a tomb on a hillside outside of Jerusalem. I wish all of you a most happy and joyous Easter! Brian
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